This invention relates to a fishing reel of a double-bearing type, which winds up a fishing line onto a spool rotated by operating a handle, and more particularly to the improvements wherein a fishing reel including a stationary member fixed to a fishing rod, a spool shaft supported rotatably to the stationary member, a spool rotating together with the spool shaft, a pinion mounted on the spool shaft and slidably moving between its engaging position with the spool shaft and its disengaging position therefrom, a pinion holder supporting the pinion and biasing it toward the engaging position, a driving gear always in mesh with the pinion, an input shaft supporting the driving gear, a return plate having a plurality of projections and rotatable together with the driving gear integrally with the input shaft, and a clutch lever supported to the spool shaft slidably movably between first and second positions and in the direction perpendicular with respect to the axis of the spool shaft.
Conventionally, this kind of reel is so constructed that the clutch lever is operated to move forward to allow the pinion to slidably move and disengage from the spool shaft, thereby rotating the spool freely. While, the handle is turned to rotate the return plate so that the projections thereat contact with the utmost end of the clutch lever to move the clutch lever backward, whereby the pinion engages with the spool shaft, and rotation of the handle is transmitted to the spool through the driving gear and pinion.
In the aforesaid construction, the projections at the return plate happen to stay within a path of the clutch lever movement due to a position where the handle stops. In this instance, even when the clutch lever is operated in forward movement in order to disengage the pinion from the spool shaft, the projections staying within the path hinder the clutch lever from forward movement, which means that the so-called clutch disconnection is poor. The poor clutch disconnection is remarkable when a number of projections are provided at the return plate so that the clutch lever may be moved backward even with a slight turn of the handle.
In the case that the projections hinder forward movement of the clutch lever, the handle is slightly turned to shift the projections and then the clutch lever is reoperated, thus overcoming the aforesaid problem. However, the handle should be turned during operation of the clutch lever, resulting in very difficult control thereof. Occasionally, the clutch lever is forced to move forward, thereby causing a breakdown at the clutch lever or return plate.
In order to overcome the aforesaid problems, this invention has been designed. An object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel capable of; ensuring forward movement of the clutch lever regardless of a position where the handle stops; moving the clutch lever backward very quickly even with a little turn of the handle; and preventing a reel part, such as the clutch lever or return plate, from being broken during forward movement of the clutch lever.
In detail, the fishing reel of the invention is so constructed that; an arm is supported to the fore end of the clutch lever swingably through a pivot pin extending substantially axially of the spool shaft, the arm having engaging means engageable with one of the projections at the return plate and two first and second stopper means for restricting the arm in its swinging range; and a spring member is disposed between the arm and a stationary member positioned at an intermediate portion between two positions of the pin movable together with the clutch lever, the two positions corresponding to first and second positions of the clutch lever, so that when the clutch lever moves forward from the first position to the second, the spring member is changed-over in its working direction at the intermediate position between the two positions of the pin and allows the arm to swing, whereby the engaging means at the arm enters in a circular locus of rotation of the projections.
When the clutch lever moves forward, whatever position the projections thereof stay at, the engaging means at the arm interfere with no projection due to the fact that, when the clutch lever is positioned between the first position and the intermediate position, the arm is biased by the spring member in the direction of keeping the engaging means away from the projections, and is kept in its position by a first stopper means.
When the clutch lever moves beyond the intermediate position to reach the second position (the forward movement terminal), the pivot pin moves beyond the end of spring member supported to the stationary member, and the spring member changes in its biasing direction to swing the arm, thereby allowing the engaging means to enter into the circular locus of rotation of the projections at the return plate. Since the arm can swing in the same direction as rotation of the return plate by operating the handle, even if one of the projections is positioned ahead of the swinging arm and interferes therewith, the arm merely comes to a halt halfway during the swinging motion, thereby allowing the clutch lever to move forward with ease. While, when the return plate rotates through the handle, the projection in interference with the engaging means rotates to escape therefrom to thereby allow the arm to swing until a second stopper means contacts with the clutch lever. As a result, the engaging means engages with the next projection rearward in the rotation direction, whereby the backward movement of clutch lever is performable.
As seen from the above, the clutch lever always ensures its forward movement regardless of any position of the projection at the return plate, and also its backward movement by operating the handle after a finish of the forward movement.
The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawings and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.